Ruthaleen (Williams) Blanding

Ruthaleen Williams Blanding was born November 1, 1946 in Anderson County, South Carolina.  She was the daughter of the late Mr. Allen and Mrs. Anna Amelia Vance Williams.  She departed this life on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at her home.

Ruthaleen attended Riverside High School in Pendleton, SC.   She retired from Milliken Finishing Plant after forty plus years of dedicated service.  At an early age, Ruthaleen joined New Holly Light Missionary Baptist Church, where she was a very active member serving in many capacities: church secretary, member of the Spiritual and Unified choirs, Sunday school secretary, and custodian.  She was also a loyal member of the New Light Community Center and the Rocky River Baptist Association (RRBA) Music Ministry.  She received the "Fifty Year" music legend certificate for her dedication to RRBA.  Ruthaleen would sing all over Anderson County touching souls with her beautiful voice. 

Ruthaleen married James Blanding and they were blessed with four sons. She loved spending time with her family and going to breakfast every morning at Bojangles. 

Ruthaleen leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, James; children, Fredrick (Lisa) Blanding of Anderson, SC and Bartholomew Blanding of Simpsonville, SC; two stepdaughters, Monica (Tony) Mongram of Buford, GA and Mary Cunningham of Anderson, SC; one sister, Margaret Henderson of Anderson, SC; a goddaughter, Sentell (Mustafa) Shaw of Anderson, SC; seventeen grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren; one brother-in-law, Louis Blanding of Clemson, SC; one sister-in-law, Isabelle Kay of Anderson, SC; and a host of relatives and close friends.

She also had a few sons and a daughter that were not biologically hers but they called her mom and she loved them as her own: Dolinsky RIce, Delacye Rice, Marvin (Sherriel) Settles, and Darren Skinner.  These individuals treated her with great respect and showed her so much love and affection.

In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her two sons, James Nicholas Blanding and Orlando "Pee-Wee" Blanding; one granddaughter, Cassey Blanding; five brothers, Roger, James, Jimmy, George, and Cecil Williams; three sisters, Viola Williams Hicks, Willie Mae Williams Lee, and Barbara Ann Williams Galloway.

The funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 17, 2022 at New Holly Light Baptist Church.  The interment will follow in the church cemetery.  Public viewing Thursday from 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  The funeral service will be lived-streamed via New Holly Light Missionary Baptist Church's Facebook page.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/NHLMBC/videos/2521621427972830/

**At the request of the family and the church, if you plan to attend the funeral service, please wear a mask..**

The family is at the home.

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